It is the end of summer. Ok, so I’m a few days late. Been busy!

But it really is fall, despite the 90 degree temperatures that hit us every few days. I think I’m really ready for some cool weather and fall colors. Everyone seems to think that we’re not going to have much in the way of fall colors due to the lack of rain this summer. But I seem to remember a similar summer about five years ago and the colors that fall were spectacular. I remember driving on the parkway through Floyd and Bent Mountain, and that area had some bodacious looking reds and oranges. I think I’ll trek back there for sure just to see if we have a repeat.

So, today I marked the end of summer with a few shots of the sunflowers I had out back. Of course, they have died out, but who could really blame them. After all, they spent all summer wrenching every bit of water they could out of this uber-parched dustbowl. They did a very good job, because there were lots of seeds in the flower heads. I’m actually surprised that there are still some in there. The Cardinals usually have torn them to shreds by now. There have been a few smaller birds eating on the sunflower buffet, but I haven’t seen a Cardinal there yet. Maybe they still think it’s summer.

I love the texture, color and smell of dried flowers and leaves. I can just lay down in a pile of raked leaves on a sunny fall day and nap my afternoon away. Most of the mountain bike trails will be full of leaves soon, and the smell when you ride through them makes me think of the hot summer days when they were providing much needed shade.

So here is to the end of summer, no more lightening bugs to catch…..

but plenty to see if you just look

I drove up to Anne Elise and Phil’s house to do their eSession on a most beautiful Saturday evening. They were making dinner for me and a few of their friends and I was WAY looking forward to it. You see, Anne Elise is a world traveler, so when she emailed me asking if I liked vegetarian food, I KNEW I was in for a treat.

Well, shortly after I arrived Phil took me for a tour of this awesome house he built, tucked away in mountainous Montgomery County seclusioin. Oak timber frame construction, a rockin’ layout, and one spectacular view. I was already picking out the spots that would make for a great shoot.

It was a delicious dinner with great company….but I was having such a good time we almost missed the “magic hour”! Never fear, our hustle and scurry out the door left us plenty of time to get in some great shots.

After a few of them on the farm, we headed over to the Winter Sun in Floyd to get in few more of them enjoying one of their favorite pastimes…. the Contra Dance. My oh my, they are the experts there. Despite some lighting issues that were a little out of our control, I think we got some great shots. Both are fantastic dancers and I’m really excited to see them in action at the reception. I’m wondering…what is the first dance going to be like??

Thanks so much for a great evening Phil and Anne Elise….it was much fun!

we must ALWAYS watch out for itty-bitty wine thieves …

this is Phil telling a tall tale….

Phil the Ninja Dog Chaser…….

It’s a view I think I need to see real soon. Rear View Mirror + Backpack + Mountain Bike + Mountains = AHHHHHHHHHHH

I dropped by Roanoke College to scout out a few locations for Christie and Khaled’s wedding just a few days before the ceremony. It’s always nice to have that extra time when covering a venue as big as a college campus. Standing at the campus map I got a ring on the cell phone and it was the bride and groom who just happened to be around town and spotted me walking towards the campus. The sweltering heat was a sign of things to come, but they joined me for a little mini tour of campus with Khaled’s parents in tow, having just arrived from the beautiful Mediterranean coast where it was a balmy 75 degrees. I think it was 100 degrees this particular afternoon and they were feeling every degree I’m sure.

We scooted through the Administration building and it seems that Khaled was quite the man on campus as everyone we ran into knew him and was glad to see him. I prodded him a bit on this and he agreed that he knew just about everyone there before finishing up two years ago.
As it turned out, the weather wasn’t much cooler when the big day arrived, but everyone seemed to be up for the occasion and everything went off without a hitch. The AC in the church struggled a bit, but it seemed to be under control by the time 4 pm rolled around.

It was indeed a beautiful day, but really, aren’t all wedding days beautiful?

My house was built in 1910 and around that same time, trees were planted so that the street would be lined with the most beautiful shade producing trees of all varieties. Sadly, all of these trees are nearing the end of their life and one by one, they are having to be taken down when they start to become dangerous. But living in the City of Roanoke has one more great benefit in that you can have two trees planted in front of your home on the right of way between the street and the sidewalk. This reforestation project will ensure that Roanoke remains a green city and will have avenues planted with trees that make for a beautiful streetscape.

So today was a sad day in front of my house as it was the day the city came to take down one of the last of three remaining original trees on this block. Deadwood pruning had extended the tree’s life for a while, but this year it started to drop limbs the size of large trees with one crashing down on a car parked in front during a spring windstorm. So it was time for the tree to go and late this morning came a knock on the door by the Grim Tree Reaper.

So as things progressed, I took a few shots to remember the last few minutes of the life of a tree that had served many, many generations that have come and gone on this block.

The guys who took care of things were nice enough to oblige my request for a slice of the trunk that I am going to turn into a coffee table for one of the porch chair groupings. That’ll be a pretty cool memorial and proof that trees provide a lasting benefit to everyone. Take care of your trees, they don’t grow overnight and you sure do miss them when they have to go.

I spend a lot of time in the woods, most of it on mountain bike trails (well known and secret ones, too!) all over Mill Mountain, or Carvin’s Cove, or Brush Mountain and Pandapas Pond. For me it’s a place for spiritual renewal, a realignment so to speak with the simple Earth. The simple Earth doesn’t have wireless anything, or perhaps it has wireless everything, depending on how you look at it.

For me, climbing a hill on a bike is the best part. It’s a time of focus on your effort, but it also affords the most opportunity to really look at everything around you. You don’t often see anything on the fast paced downhills, just what is immediately in front of you, and all that is a blur. But the uphill is slow and steady.

In a way, it’s almost opposite of life. In life, the uphill is the struggle and the focus where we sometimes lose our ability to see everything around us. In life, the downhill is the easy ride where we take it all in to enjoy.

Either way, cheers to all of the uphills and downhills in life. We need ’em both to get the thrill!

When I moved into the nabe five years ago, it was late one night as I was unpacking a load from the car and there came this friendly little hello from the porch next door. I couldn’t see who it was, but it was certainly a welcoming tone from the impish little voice coming through the railing. He always spoke in “uptalk” as I liked to call it, his little voice ending in crescendo with every phrase or sentence. As it turned out he would be there with the same cheery greeting whenever you saw him.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see this little two year old standing there with his father, barely able to see through the railing. He was my welcoming committee, and over the next few years, he and his mom and dad would become the best friends and neighbors you could ever want.

Then the move. You hate it when people you come to know and love find circumstance pulling them away from you. It doesn’t seem fair to anyone, but you kind of have to accept it. The only bonus is when they come back to visit and you get to reconnect. Watching those kids change and grow leaves you with strange sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. Like you’re somewhat a part of their history so you get credit for their future, too. Hey, I knew you when you were barely able to talk and look at you now.

It leaves you feeling a little older, too!

Well, like most young families, they grow a bit here and there. Theirs did, too. Now there is Lucy, little sister of Eli. Just as cute and about the same age now as the little fellow who greeted me from the porch all those five years ago.

Last year I snapped a few pics of them while they were here. This year, I updated Lucy’s picture while her mom fed her a bowl of cereal at my table. They’re both awesome kids, and adorable…..even with a face full of Gerber’s. Here’s to great neighbors and the people who become such a part of your life, just because you moved in next door.

I can’t even say enough about this movie to describe how beautifuly filmed, acted, edited, soundtracked……. it was perfect. In fact, about half way through it, the film jammed and burned a hole in the frame it stopped on. We all thought it was part of the editing effect. So how many movies have you seen where there was a technical failure that kept you captivated???

It was playing at The Grandin but I’m not sure it is still there ’cause I looked on their site and couldn’t find it. It was packed on Wednesday night so hard to believe that it was at the end of its run there. If it is….don’t miss it. If it’s gone…..find it. You’ll be SO glad you did.

Ok…..I can’t help it. I LOVE photographing details. If it glitters, glows, has lots of color, or is good to eat….I can’t help myself. I’m certain that eventually I will catch my camera on fire. The other day I was going through some details shots that haven’t made it to the web site yet and I thought I would give a little preview here.

Tasty color!

‘

Ahhhhh…….now I feel better.

Ahhhhhhh……warm summer mornings are made for waterfalls. My favorite time to mountain bike is just after the forest comes alive but before the heat of the day sets in. So what a perfect time to catch up with Jennifer and John for their eSession at Roaring Run.

When I suggested the venue which is close to their home, they were pretty excited; and neither were afraid of climbing over a few wet rocks. What a bonus to get in a little hike while getting to know another great couple.

Young love….can’ beat it!

the sun was just staring to come up through the tree line….

a cool looking rock to climb down on …

the sun was a little harsh in this spot so I thought it would make for a nice texture shot…

this is my favorite spot at the falls……

and a little fish….

and then we stopped by the old iron furnace on the way back….

See you in a few…..

Kemper